Mark Cooper denies making Justin Edinburgh comment to Orient boss

Forest Green have denied their manager Mark Cooper made a comment about Justin Edinburgh during their 4-2 win at Leyton Orient.

Orient interim boss Ross Embleton was sent off after Ebou Adams’ opening goal for throwing an object towards the Forest Green bench.

He claimed post-match that Cooper had made reference to former Orient manager Edinburgh, who died in June.

Forest Green chairman Dale Vince tweeted a statement which said: “Mark denies saying this or anything like it, he and Justin were close friends.

“The referee and the fourth official have both confirmed this evening that they heard nothing said and the fact is that Leyton’s manager was sent off for throwing something at our bench after the first goal was scored.

“Their manager has to look at himself for the reason for his behaviour.”

A club statement added: “The club firmly denies these accusations and will cooperate fully with Leyton Orient in any investigation that may come in the wake of the game.”

Embleton had said during a post-match interview: “I got told I am an impostor in the environment I am in but that’s fine because I get told that regularly and it doesn’t affect me anymore so I can accept that comment.

“But to follow that up with ‘Why do you think you are Justin Edinburgh?’ is something I will never accept.

“I got sent off for throwing chewing gum at Mark Cooper and ultimately that is what I deserve but it was that or something more aggressive which would have been even more naive, but my blood is still boiling.”

Cooper had initially played down the incident.

“There was nothing in it really,” he said straight after the game.

“There had been a little bit of verbal towards Ebou Adams from the technical area and when he scored, I responded by celebrating, I clenched my fist and said ‘Get in there’. From there, something was thrown and that was it.”